


TVXQ 60 Minute Challenge

by changdori (janie6789)



Category: DBSK | Tohoshinki | TVfXQ | TVXQ
Genre: M/M, TVXQ 60 Minute Challenge
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-21
Updated: 2017-02-19
Packaged: 2018-03-18 21:50:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3585285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/janie6789/pseuds/changdori
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>#동방신기_전력_60분</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hospital

**Author's Note:**

> I did something different because I thought everyone would do dying Changmin

"Unbelievable," says Changmin, glaring around the room and looking like he's going to be throwing the scalpel in a second. "Absolutely unreal. I can't believe I work with you imbeciles."

Despite being the youngest, it was no secret that Changmin was the best surgeon in the hospital, no, in the province. The hospital was extremely lucky to have him.

The staff who had to work with him, though; not so much.

"You, close him up," orders Changmin, pointing to Yunho. "You're the only one in the operating room who hasn't messed up yet."

Changmin is young, younger than Yunho even, but he has been touted as a prodigy since he was a kid. He finished medical school at the ripe old age of twenty, and had become staff at the biggest hospital in the province with no problem at all. He was famous for his skill but also his temper; legend had it that one time, Dr. Shim Changmin got so angry at a resident one time that he threw a sterile towel over his head before hitting him right there in the operating room. It was a famous story, and no one dared to look at Dr. Shim Changmin in the eyes.

Yunho breathes out through the mask and stepped up next to the table, in Changmin's place. "Yes, sir."

"Unbelievable, can't believe I'm working with idiots who can't even hold a retractor properly."

Yunho is painfully aware of Changmin's eyes following his every move as he prepared to make the stitches. Yunho tries to ignore him as much as possible and only barely starts his first stitch until he hears a chilling, "Hands off," from behind him.

Yunho swallows and takes steps back, just like he's told, and looks behind to see Dr. Shim's flashing eyes glaring at him. Yunho almost feels his heart jump out of his chest, even though most of Changmin's face is covered up.

"Have you even done this before?"

"I'm… a second year resident in Psychiatry," says Yunho, clearing his throat. He thought his huge bear paws would be an obvious indication to the fact that he was not a surgeon, but apparently not. "I… don't suture."

"Oh, for God's sake, heavens help me," says Changmin, rolling his eyes. "Then why are you here?"

"It's a mandatory rotation, Doctor Shim."

"Get out, and wipe the smile from your face, you incompetent idiot. And if you don't have the technique down the next time I see you, don't expect to fucking stay at the hospital for a single extra second."

And Yunho realizes that for the first time in his life, he's being kicked out of the operating room.

 

 

Yunho is barred from the operating room and instead spends the whole afternoon and evening practicing the suturing that he's never going to need after these four weeks of general surgery, but he's thrilled not to be in the operating room. He'd rather sit at a table and a suture kit all day than to have to deal with Shim Changmin, and all the stress that comes with it.

Yunho doesn't have the surgery personality, and he knows it.

Dr. Shim comes by to check on Yunho's stitches on the model afterwards, and as Yunho expects, he's not pleased: "You think the skin would heal without scars if you do stitches like this?"

Yunho bites his tongue to say that there is zero chance that anyone's surgical scars would be invisible, and that it might even be helpful for other physicians if a surgical scar was there, but he just nods.

It would be fantastic if he would be allowed to go home and pet his dog.

"No, doctor."

"Watch some YouTube video tutorials or something, you idiot. This is ridiculous."

"Yes, doctor."

Changmin glares at Yunho one last time before walking to the door, and for a split second, Yunho is scared that he's being made to stay the entire night to practice his suturing when Changmin says as he leaves, "Get out of here."

Yunho is so thankful he almost cries.

 

 

Once Yunho has changed out of his scrubs and has walked to the parking lot, it's already dark and the air has cooled. He's just thinking about his fluffy puppy who must be waiting for him at the door of his apartment as he opens the door to his car when he hears a shout of anger on the other side of the parking lot.

It's not uncommon for there to be shouting at a hospital's parking lot, especially with the hospital being the local psych centre, but it makes Yunho stop, because he recognizes the voice.

Yunho hesitates for a moment, torn, between ignoring the voice and going to figure out what's wrong. He has one foot in his car already, but with one extra loud swear word from the man and Yunho decides that he needs to put a stop to this before the man gets taken away by security.

Yunho can clearly make out the words that he's shouting as he gets closer, but the man is so angry that he doesn't even notice Yunho approaching him.

"God damn it!" shouts Changmin. "Why! Why does this always happen to _me_? _Why_?"

Yunho clears his throat, realizing that Changmin is trashing his own car. Changmin's curly hair is flying all over the place, unkempt from having been inside the humid surgeon's cap for too long, and it succeeds in making Changmin seem even crazier.

He wonders if Dr. Shim is safe to approach just now, but when Changmin kicks the rim of the tire of his car and howls at the pain at his toes is when Yunho clears his throat.

"…Um… Doctor?"

Changmin looks back so quickly that Yunho flinches.

"Um… is something a problem?"

"No!" snaps Changmin, "Nothing is wrong at all! It doesn't matter that my car is a piece of shit and it won't start in the middle of the _one_ week that I don't have insurance for in the middle of switching insurance companies, no, nothing is fucking wrong at all, at all, and now I've got to take the fucking taxi home and I live an hour and a half away, so no, there is nothing wrong at all, not at –"

"Uh… I can give you a ride to your house if you need one," offers Yunho. He doesn't know where that came from, because to be honest, he doesn't want to spend an extra second with this temperamental young doctor. But as soon as the words leave his mouth, Changmin's expression softens a bit and he stops shouting.

Changmin doesn't say yes, or no (Yunho knows that it's because of his damn pride), but he knows that he's supposed to convince Changmin to come with him.

"Come," says Yunho, smiling at Changmin and taking his arm from behind. "I don't mind driving you."

It isn't long until Changmin is sitting next to Yunho in Yunho's car, sniffing unhappily.

"Your car smells weird."

"Sorry. I drive around with my puppy a lot."

Changmin scoffs and crosses his arms, but Yunho pays no heed and starts the car.

They drive in silence for an uncomfortably long time, until Yunho decides he can't stand this anymore.

"Do you live alone?" asks Yunho, trying to make conversation.

Changmin glares at him. "Who do you think I live with, my parents?"

"Well, you are pretty young, so –"

"Not too young to be your boss," snaps Changmin.

"That's not what I meant."

Changmin rolls his eyes and leans his head against the window. Yunho glances at him, then reaches across to pull Changmin away by his arm. "Please don't do that."

Changmin looks offended as he sits up. "What? Why? Am I going to leave marks on your window with my head?"

Yunho chuckles and shakes his head. "No. When I was rotating through emerg, I saw a man who was doing that when a car collided into his from the side. The airbag couldn't save him from the glass and it was… one of the most horrific things I'd ever seen. I just don't want that to happen to you."

Changmin is silent, and he looks down in his lap.

"Um… right."

They're silent for a long time again before Changmin finally opens his mouth.

"Do you ever feel… alone, Yunho?"

Yunho looks at Changmin. "What do you mean?"

"You live alone too, don't you?"

"I live with my puppy."

"But… I mean… your puppy doesn't talk to you."

This is the longest that Yunho's heard Changmin go without yelling, and Yunho is a bit impressed.

"That's true."

"And… I don't know. I sometimes feel like… I don't know. I'm alone at home, and I'm alone at the hospital… no one actually gives a real crap about me, and if I weren't the best surgeon at the place, no one would even look at me, and all anyone does is abuse you, and look down on you for being too young, and –"

"You push everyone away from you, Changmin," says Yunho. "It's… kind of on you."

"Excuse me? Did you just call me –"

"Look, you're even doing it now," shrugs Yunho. "You're my boss, yeah, but you're also just a guy, right? Me too. It's possible to have friends, Changmin, you just… have to stop pushing people away."

Changmin's silent.

"I'm sure you've had to go through a lot, and I know it must have been hard to go through med school and residency with people who were five years older than you, though, I'm not denying that. But you have to take relationships one step at a time. You don't have to feel alone all the ime."

Changmin is silent as Yunho finally pulls up at Changmin's driveway.

"This is it, right?" asks Yunho to be sure.

Changmin nods. "Yeah," says Changmin hoarsely. "Um…Thanks for the ride, Yunho."

"Hey, Changmin –" says Yunho awkwardly.

Changmin looks at Yunho in the eyes for the first time without glaring, and Yunho feels his heart melt, and for the first time, notices how cute the young surgeon is.

He resembles Bambi.

"Do you wanna go out for a beer tomorrow after work? I'll pay."

Changmin stands at the driveway, feet firmly rooted.

He's so silent and so still for so long that Yunho wonders whether he's having an absence seizure, but a long while later, Changmin nods.

"Okay," he says awkwardly.

Yunho smiles.

"One step at a time, yeah?"

Changmin shakes his head and rolls his eyes, but he's also smiling.


	2. Noir

Yunho points the gun, his hand shaking.

The man's shoulders look so small in the white shift and the black hood over his head.

The hood is over his head to dehumanize him, to make it easier for Yunho.

But Yunho finds that it's not much help when he can see the man shift on his knees and hear his sobbing.

He sees all the detail, like the man's small thumb moving over his fingers, shaking hard, and the shoulders sagging forward as the barrel of the gun touches the back of his head, and he sees the man shuffle forward on his knees, subconsciously trying to move away from the gun.

And it's all making Yunho absolutely sick.

"Yunho," says the cold voice. Yunho swallows and turns his head towards the man. " _Shoot him_."

Yunho looks back at the sobbing figure. He cocks the gun, which makes a louder sound than he's ever realized.

The figure under the sack hears it too, because he gives a shudder, and Yunho clenches his teeth.

"There's no reason," says Yunho, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Yunho…." He chuckles. "This is simply a test."

Yunho closes his eyes and thinks.

He _thinks_.

"Yunho…" says the voice dangerously.

And then Yunho springs into action.

He snatches the sack away from the kneeling man's head, and he only has time to see a mop of curly brown hair emerge from underneath before he points the gun towards the others. He takes the place between the hostage and the gang members, and he takes a single shot, right at their leader.

It hits his shoulder, and Yunho curses inwardly, because he knows his shot didn't kill.

And it isn't long until there are shots firing left and right, and it will be a miracle if he gets out of this warehouse alive by himself, let alone with the victim.

But he has to try.

He looks down at the still-kneeling man and gets a glimpse of his large, scared brown eyes and his face shining with tears looking up at him before he tugs at the man's arms.

"Come on!" he shouts. "Get up, let's go!"

The man finally gets up and they begin to run towards the exit. Yunho turns and takes a shot and he knows he took one out, because the rain of bullets stop for a second as each gang member searches for cover.

Yunho takes the second to make it across the warehouse and he feels an impact that jolts him forward, and a searing pain that he's never felt before at his shoulder. He can' hold in a grunt of pain and shock, and the hostage looks terrified as he takes a glance at Yunho. Yunho clenches his teeth and ignores the pain as best as he can. There are two guys blocking the exit.

Yunho takes two shots.

The exit is clear.

 

 

"Oh God," grunts Yunho.

He's bleeding all over the leather car seat, and he's driving with his bad arm, his good one pressing down on his wound.

The hostage still hasn't said a word, sitting in the passenger seat. He's shaking too, and even though he's no longer sobbing, the tears falling are constant.

Yunho knows he has to be careful with this hostage, for all he knows, he could be one of them, and that's what he learned – but right now, he doesn't care as he reaches for his phone.

"Siwon," he croaks.

"Yunho," he replies. "Code word?"

"Forget the code word, I've been shot, send help –"

"Code word."

Yunho grimaces in pain and grunts. God, Siwon and his semantics.

"Iceberg."

Yunho can feel man on the other end relaxing as Yunho utters the code not under duress.

"Did you say you've been shot?" says Siwon. "I'll send backup."

"A bit too late, aren't you?" says Yunho a bit bitterly. "I'll meet the ambulance halfway."

"You need ambulance?"

"I've been shot," says Yunho. God, Siwon's obviously never been shot because this fucking hurts. "I'm going to need SWAT protection."

"Got it. They're on their way. They'll meet you halfway."

Yunho groans again and squeezes his eyes in pain.

Siwon must have heard that, but he doesn't sound overly concerned.

"Yunho, what did you find out?" asks Siwon.

Yunho curses, because he's pissed that Siwon cares more about the mission than the fact that his colleague has been shot.

"Not much," pants Yunho. He then looks at the man who's sitting in the passenger in a blood-splattered white shift, holding his arms and still silently crying. "But I have a witness here. Not sure how much he knows. He's going to need an ambulance too."

 

 

Yunho knows he's lost a ton of blood because he feels dizzy as soon as he steps out in the safety of the ambulance.

God, he doesn't even care if these ambulance people are safe or not, he just wants someone to help him.

He passes out as soon as they put him on the stretcher.

 

 

When he next realizes he's still alive, he's so groggy he can barely even keep his eyes open.

Everything is blurry as he opens his eyes, and he sees that he's hooked up to a hundred machines, and he sees a nurse right there, looking surprised that Yunho opened his eyes.

And everything hurts. _Everything_.

"Oh, you're awake!" she exclaims. "Let me go get the doctor, it'll only take a minute!"

The person that enters isn't the doctor.

It's freaking Siwon.

"God, I was starting to think we'd lost you," he says.

Yunho lets out a breath. "Why?" he croaks. His throat feels like sandpaper and everything hurts, god damn it.

"Because we still need details. How many were there, and did you ever figure out what exactly they –"

"Siwon…" says Yunho, shaking his head. "Not now."

Siwon bites his lip.

Yunho thinks back though, and he tries to remember.

And he does. Some of it, anyway.

He remembers the tiny fingers and the curly brown hair and the doe eyes.

"You've been doing that to that kid, too, haven't you."

"What kid?"

"The hostage kid."

"Changmin?"

"Is that his name?"

"Yeah. Shim Changmin. You didn't know?"

"No, I didn't know."

"I've tried interrogating him. He won't say anything. His name is Shim Changmin and he's 22. That's all I know."

Yunho is 24, so Changmin is two years younger. Yunho thinks back to how he was two years ago.

Definitely less mature than he is now.

"Were you hounding him the same way you hound me?"

Siwon doesn't say anything and Yunho takes that as a yes.

 

 

Yunho is moved out of the ICU the next day.

He guesses that being fit does have its advantages.

He's sort of wheeling his IV pole around in his room, trying to stretch his legs and try to feel alive again, when Siwon comes to him.

"He wants to talk to you."

"Who?"

"Shim Changmin."

Yunho sighs. "Am I going to have to go there or is he coming to me?"

"Doesn't matter."

Yunho thinks.

"I'll go," he decides.

Siwon nods. "Okay."

 

 

Changmin looks worse than he does.

At least Yunho is walking around. Changmin though, looks like he hasn't slept in days, and Yunho is going to kill Siwon for interrogating a kid who clearly is in so much distress.

Yunho sits at the bedside, trying to look as unthreatening as possible. "Hey," says Yunho. "How're you doing?"

The kid sits, his knees curled into his chest on his hospital bed. He's silent for a long time before he turns his head towards Yunho.

"You were… undercover?" whispers Changmin.

Yunho nods. "Yeah. Sorry I didn't know you'd be there, or I would have brought backup."

Changmin shakes his head. Yunho isn't quite sure why.

They're silent again, then Changmin looks at Yunho again.

'Thank you," he says, and the tears are falling again.

This time, Yunho actually has enough head to wipe the tears from his face.

 

 

"Oh god," whispers Changmin through his tears, wiping his eyes. "I can't – I can't –"

Yunho feels his heart tug in worry for the boy and in annoyance of Siwon.

"Stop it, Siwon."

"We need to know."

"Give him a break!" shouts Yunho.

Siwon looks flustered, but he leaves the hospital room.

 

 

But when it's just Yunho in the room, Changmin talks.

"Do you have family?" asks Yunho.

Changmin shakes his head. "No," he whispers. "Never had one."

Yunho smiles. "Me neither," he says. Changmin looks at Yunho. "That's why I was recruited to the Agency in the first place."

Changmin puts his head down. "I lived alone since I was fourteen."

Yunho reaches for Changmin's hand and squeezes. "It's not so easy, I know," says Yunho, but he doesn't at all, because at least he's had the Agency take care of him since he was young.

"You know, I always thought it wouldn't be so bad dying," whispers Changmin. "But when I was actually there, I… I didn't want to, you know?"

Changmin looks at Yunho. "The world is really cruel, and I'd be really happy to leave it – but there are also beautiful things in the world that I don't want to leave. I don't know if you get it."

Yunho looks into Changmin's eyes and he thinks he does.

 

 

The pieces are coming together, and they have enough information for a large-scale raid.

Yunho has been asked to join them, with his shoulder almost healed now and having the most amount of information.

"We'll be going in tomorrow," says Yunho to Changmin.

"You too?" asks Changmin, looking shocked.

Yunho nods.

Changmin's lip quivers.

"Do you… Do you have to go?"

Yunho frowns. "What do you mean?"

"Can you stay?"

Yunho chuckles and brushes the bangs out of Changmin's eyes.

"Why?"

"I don't want the world to lose someone so beautiful."

Yunho is struck speechless.

He notices that Changmin's ears are red.

 

 

Yunho doesn't join them for the raid, but it's successful anyway, with the amount of information that he and Changmin were able to give.

And he's smug, because Siwon gets shot in the leg, and he's whining and groaning like mad.

He's also happy, because Changmin is doing better.

Changmin clings to Yunho like a koala, all the time, but Yunho doesn't mind.

In fact, he loves it.


	3. Cooking

"Help."

Changmin ignores the desperate voice on the other end of the phone call.

" _Please_."

Changmin ignores him again.

When the chilling silence permeates, the voice gets even more desperate.

"Changmin, please, help me, I'm begging you. I'll do anything. Anything, Changmin, please."

Changmin narrows his eyes.

"What do you want?" asks Changmin in a low voice.

"I'll tell you when you get here. Please. Please Changmin!"

Changmin tries really, really hard to ignore Yunho, but he can't.

"Forget it," sneers Changmin, and he hangs up, rolling his eyes.

But as soon as he does, Changmin is up and getting dressed to head to Yunho's house.

 

 

Changmin knows that something is wrong as soon as he gets off the elevator onto Yunho's floor.

The whole floor is cloudy with smoke, and it's almost stinging Changmin's eyes. The air is hazy, and Changmin is suddenly worried.

He quickens his steps towards Yunho's door, and out of worry, he pounds at the door.

"Yunho Hyung?" he shouts. "Hyung!"

Changmin can hear a scream from inside the apartment, and he thinks, at least he's still alive.

Soon, the door opens for Changmin. A waft of smoke overwhelms Changmin before he can open his eyes again and focus on who's standing there.

The state of Yunho shocks Changmin. Yunho's hair is frazzled from the heat and steam and he's wearing a white apron but it's no longer white, with sauces and juices splattered all over it. He's holding a frying pan in one hand and a spoon in the other, and Changmin notices that his right thumb is bandaged up.

"Changminnie! I was so scared you wouldn't come!" shouts Yunho, looking like he might burst out crying. "I'm so lost! I don't get it! How do people feed themselves!? Thank God you came!"

" _How could I not_ ," says Changmin quietly, but he doesn't think Yunho hears in his moments of distress and confusion. "What happened to your finger?"

"I cut myself while I was trying to cut up the veggies," says Yunho sadly.

"You idiot," sighs Changmin. He takes the pan and the spoon from Yunho's hands. "Okay. Go get cleaned up."

Yunho sobs out a thanks before shoving the pan and spoon into Changmin's hands and disappearing into his bedroom. Changmin sighs and finally steps inside the apartment and heads for the kitchen – and the state of the kitchen shocks him even more.

The whole thing is so crowded Changmin can't even step inside. The mess is making Changmin's blood boil and Changmin opens up the windows to let the smoke out and begins cleaning, because every chef knows, you can't cook in a messy kitchen.

Changmin guesses that Yunho is no chef though.

Changmin knows that Yunho is a disaster in the kitchen and this was one of the things they worried about when they moved out of the dorm, but he didn't think it would be _this_ bad. While Yunho gets changed, Changmin gets through at least some of the mess, and soon, Yunho's at the end of the kitchen, watching Changmin with his mouth open.

"Don't just stand there, do something," snaps Changmin. Yunho steps closer to the stove to start something, but then Changmin changes his mind. "Wait. Never mind. Don't touch anything."

Yunho looks down as he obeys, looking like a kicked puppy. Half an hour passes when the kitchen is spotless and exactly the way Changmin likes it, and finally, Changmin can start cooking.

Changmin twirls the knife in his hand, knowing that Yunho's watching, before he starts cutting up the vegetables. Changmin finishes easily, and he's quite comfortable cooking until Yunho speaks.

"You know, you're super handsome when you're cooking."

Changmin feels hot, and his hand shakes a bit as he butters the pan. He drops the vegetables in, and clears his throat.

"Okay, you can stop making stuff up now," says Changmin.

Yunho pouts, but he listens to Changmin again. He then looks at Changmin. "Are you going to use strawberries?"

"Strawberries don't go in fried rice."

"They do in U-Know fried rice."

"Well, good thing this is Max fried rice," snaps Changmin.

He tosses the veggies into the air and catches all the pieces in the pan. He feels a surge of satisfaction when Yunho's eyes widen. He's also hyper-aware of the fact that Yunho has come up from behind him. His whole body tingles and Yunho wraps his arms around Changmin's waist in a back hug.

"You should live here," says Yunho, putting his chin on Changmin's shoulder as he continues to cook.

Changmin feels his ears turning hot, but then he composes himself. "You're the one that was all gung ho about leaving the dorm."

Yunho looks devastated as he looks at Changmin. "But –"

Changmin looks at Yunho, almost wanting Yunho to give a good excuse. Changmin had been sulking for days realizing that Yunho was the one that suggested that they moved out of their dorm.

"I wanted to leave the _dorm_ , not you. Why do you think I got such a huge apartment?"

Changmin looks at Yunho. "What?"

"I wanted to share it with you."

Changmin is struck speechless for a second, then he composes himself and turns away from the stove to face Yunho. The movement makes Yunho's arms loosen from around Changmin's middle.

"So why –" says Changmin, his mind not quite comprehending.

Yunho shrugs, looking a bit guilty.

"I don't know. I didn't like being reminded every day of what happened in that dorm, and I thought it might be better if we moved out."

Changmin blinks. He didn't expect to hear that.

"How could I want to move away from you? I wish I could live with you forever," whispers Yunho.

"Just because I cook for you," accuses Changmin, but his heart has melted like springtime. Yunho knows.

"No, because you're awesome and I love you."

Changmin's entire being is blushing, and he just knows that Yunho can see it. His face is as hot as it could be, and he doesn't think he could go any redder, but then Yunho leans in towards Changmin and kisses him.

Changmin wraps his arms around Yunho and he kisses right back, even though he's blushing and his heart is beating out of his chest. He's completely lost in the kiss, and it's just Yunho and Changmin in the world… at least until Yunho pulls back just a bit.

"Um… Changmin?" whispers Yunho.

Changmin half expects Yunho to propose to him right then and there, but –

"Uh… your vegetables…"

Changmin whips around towards the stove, and finally smells the smoke.

The vegetables are charred black in Changmin's negligence, and smoke is starting to fill Yunho's apartment again.

" _No!_ " shouts Changmin in despair. "No, no, no! How! How did I! _This is all your fault! You distracted me!_ "

Changmin is frantic as he tries to get the flame down and the useless vegetables off the heat. He drops the pan in the sink and is reaching for the vegetables again when Yunho stops him.

"Baby," says Yunho, stroking Changmin's shoulder. Changmin looks at him. "Do you just want to order pizza?"

Changmin sighs. "Okay," he agrees sadly.

"And maybe will you live here with me?"

He's a lot more cheerful when he agrees with this one.


	4. Tears

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unfinished; TW: depression, drugs.

Changmin is exhausted, and he knows Yunho is too. It's been ten years now that they've spent almost half their time in Japan, but he finds that he's still not quite used to it. Yes, they're more or less fluent in the language now and they've made good friends with their staff and dancers, but nevertheless, it isn't quite home, and they're just a tiny bit lonely when they're there.

Yunho doesn't seem to feel the same way. He keeps himself busy in Japan, so busy that it seems he doesn't have time to feel lonely. Between practices, schedules, going out and taking care of Changmin, Yunho tires himself out – but that seems to be it, while Changmin goes into a slight mini-depression every time he's in Japan for too long and spends far too much time in bed.

Coming back to Korea, too, is different for the two of them. Yunho goes for coffee and goes out with his friends almost within the hour; Changmin usually stays at home in bed for a week or so.

This time doesn't seem to be an exception, because as soon as they get home, Yunho makes a few phone calls then comes to find Changmin in the bedroom cheerfully.

"I'm going to go for coffee and then we're going bowling. Wanna come?"

Changmin shakes his head wordlessly.

Seeing how unenergetic he is, Yunho frowns. "Are you okay?"

Changmin nods a tiny bit. "Fine."

Yunho observes Changmin for a moment before leaving, closing and locking the apartment door and leaving the house completely silent.

 

 

Changmin is still in bed when it gets dark. He hasn't eaten for the whole day, and he's just trying to sleep when his phone vibrates. He doesn't look at it for a long time, but when it vibrates again, he finally picks up the phone to read the messages.

They're from Kyuhyun.

 

_Hey_

_Come out_

 

Changmin sighs.

 

_I'm tired_

 

He gets a text back almost immediately. It's nothing but an address. Changmin rolls his eyes.

 

_I'm going to try to sleep_

 

Kyuhyun doesn't listen.

_Try to dress nicely_

 

Changmin texts back.

 

_Fuck you_

 

Kyuhyun doesn't respond after that, even though Changmin sees that Kyuhyun read the message.

Changmin curses under his breath, but drags himself out of bed to get dressed.

 

 

Changmin stands at the entrance of the place, and checks the address Kyuhyun sent multiple times. He doesn't quite know if it's the right place – it's so unexpected. It's not a pub or a homey restaurant that they usually go to – this is… this is a club, or something, he doesn't know what's going on.

The building looks run-down from the outside, being situated in a dark alleyway, but when Changmin peeks in, he can tell it's anything but run-down on the inside.

Changmin swallows, checks the address one last time before shoving his phone in his pocket. He takes a deep breath and steps inside. He is standing at the entrance, looking around awkwardly, when a girl in a short red dress, tall and pretty, greets him.

"Mr. Shim?"

Changmin looks at her. "Um… y… yes."

She smiles.

"Mr. Cho already paid for you. I'll bring you in."

Changmin's mind is busy. He has no idea what this place is, and being a celebrity, he knows this is dangerous. He hesitates, but then follows her inside.

It's not really a club, per se – he isn't sure what to call place like this, but there are private rooms with private parties, as far as he can tell. He is led into one room, and as soon as he steps inside, a waft of smoke hits him like a brick wall. He winces, but lets his eyes adjust to the dark and steps inside after her.

And that's when he finally sees Kyuhyun.

He's sitting in a couch with two girls on either side of him. A whiskey bottle sits on the table, and he looks at Changmin, his eyes red and unfocused.

"Changmin, welcome!" Changmin notices that he's slurring, like he does when he's very, very, very drunk. Changmin steps towards him uncertainly when Kyuhyun guffaws in laughter and yells out on the top of his lungs. "It's Max Changmin of TVXQ, ladies!"

Changmin goggles at him as the women giggle. " _Kyuhyun_!" he hisses.

"Calm down and get that stick out of your ass," says Kyuhyun, rolling his eyes. He then brings his hand to his mouth and takes a puff of something between his fingers, and that's when Changmin finally notices.

"Is… Is that… _weed_?"

Kyuhyun laughs and motions one of the girls aside to make room for Changmin on the couch.

"I paid a fucking fortune for this private shit, you know that? Now come and sit the fuck down."

Changmin does, reluctantly.

Kyuhyun turns his head towards Changmin and looks him in the eye, but his eyes are still unfocused.

"Today I show you a new world," he declares. He pours Changmin a glass of whiskey, hand unsteady and spilling half of it outside the glass. Changmin takes it and gulps it down, feeling the strong alcohol burn as it goes down.

Kyuhyun then thrusts a joint in Changmin's hand. Changmin looks around cautiously.

"Trust me, you fucker. I've been here a hundred times before and it's safe here."

"And if it isn't?" demands Changmin, although Kyuhyun is clearly wasted and high as fuck and he won't be getting a good answer.

"Then our careers are over?" Then Kyuhyun fucking laughs.

A girl pours Changmin another glass, and Changmin drinks it.

Kyuhyun lights the joint for Changmin.

Changmin brings the joint to his lips.

_Ah, fuck it._

 

 

He can't stop crying. The tears are pouring down, and he can't even see straight. He's crying so hard that Kyuhyun is flustered.

"Dude… What the fuck, man. Stop."

"Fucking tired," sobs Changmin. "So – fucking… Fuck…"

Changmin looks up and seeing Kyuhyun in front of him, tears spill over once again.

"Fucking missed you," gasps Changmin. Then without thinking, he leans forwards and kisses Kyuhyun full on the mouth. It feels weird, not the same way it feels when he kisses Yunho. Changmin frowns and wipes his mouth while Kyuhyun giggles.

"So tired and it's fucking – fuck – fucking hard," manages Changmin. He takes another puff. He drops the joint on the ashtray. "Fuck…"

Kyuhyun pats him on the head and says something, but Changmin can't quite make it out, because he's crying so hard, and the sounds of his wails drown him out.

The room spins, and he's so tired and miserable.

He closes his eyes, and that's the last thing he can remember.

 

 

It's quiet.

Changmin opens his eyes and realizes that he's on the floor of a place that he's very unfamiliar with. Shocked, he sits up quickly, and that's when his head is pounding, punishing him for the night before.

Night before.

Changmin's eyes burst open.

"Shit," he whispers. "Shit, shit, shit."

The room is still dark save for a small widow in the wall with some orange sunlight coming through, and Changmin looks around himself to find three mostly-empty bottles of whiskey and – oh God – a joint stub on the ashtray. Blood drains from his face and Changmin panics.

If anything, it seems he's the first one up, the girls from the night before also sleeping and his damned friend Cho Kyuhyun sprawled across the couch.

"Fuck," whispers Changmin. He gets to his feet, holding his head and stumbling.

His phone vibrates and he looks at it to see that he has a number of unread messages, all from Yunho.

 

_Changdola, where are you? I'm so worried about you._

 

"Oh my god," whispers Changmin, and headache forgotten, he runs out of the place.


	5. Moon Bunny

It was a quiet Chuseok for Yunho.

It would normally be a big family gathering, but he was working for most of the long weekend, anyway, and he couldn't make the long trip down to Gwangju.

So it was just him, in his little apartment.

Him and his Bunny.

Yunho wasn't the best at cooking, but he did his best for the Chuseok holidays – he still wanted to eat a decent meal after all. Changmin Bunny was already feasting on the carrot cake that he'd bought him along with some grapes sand some apple slices, but Yunho was intent on making himself some bulgogi.

As he stood at the stove, Changmin hopped over and rested his chin on Yunho's shoulder. His nose wiggled.

"What are you doing?"

"Cooking. Obviously."

"Smells gross," Changmin said, wrinkling his nose in distaste. "Really gross."

Yunho pouted. "Go eat your carrot cake. I'm almost done."

By the time Yunho reached the table with his plate of bulgogi, Changmin was already finished with his food and was just watching Yunho eating with his big, sparkly eyes.

It was pleasant, the whole thing – but as Yunho finished eating and was gathering up the plates to get started on the dishes, Changmin's long ears began to twitch.

And then, Yunho could swear that he saw a flash of light – or sparkles, or _something_ – envelope Changmin bunny for a split second. And then there was nothing.

Yunho decided that his eyes must have been playing tricks on him, but as Yunho watched, Changmin rushed to the window to look up at the sky.

"What is it?" said Yunho, curious.

"It's Chuseok!" exclaimed Changmin, his fluffy white tail wiggling. He turned his head to look at Yunho intently. "I have to make rice cakes!"

Yunho was kind of horrified.

"What… What are you talking about?" said Yunho.

"The Moon Bunny is calling out to us! We have to make rice cakes!" said Changmin. He pointed up at the full moon.

Yunho stared. "Changmin, you're hallucinating."

"I'm not! I'm serious, help me! Every year, the Moon Bunny chooses one bunny on Earth to make rice cakes with her, and this year, it must be me!" Changmin's little feet were getting restless, and soon, he was jumping up and down. "Yunho, please!!!"

"Okay, stop," said Yunho, holding his head, which was starting to ache. "What… like, are you that pokemon that has to sing when there's a full moon or something?"

"No, I'm a bunny, and we have to make rice cakes with the Moon Bunny! She's calling out to me!"

"You said that already," said Yunho.

"I have to make –"

" _Okay,_ " said Yunho. "Just wait. I'll give you a carrot in the meantime, you can nibble on that while –"

" _Rice cakes!!!!!!"_ screamed Changmin.

Yunho covered his ears. "Oh my God. I'm –"

But who even made rice cakes at home? _How did one even make rice cakes_?

"Um… do you have to do the whole mortar thing too, or do you have to just like… make –"

" _Find me a mortar!!!_ "

Yunho was at a loss.

"Where am I going to find a mortar…?"

"I don't know, you're human, figure it out!"

"As if you can't do anything that I can," mumbled Yunho, shaking his head.

And then a thought occurred to him.

"So like… Changmin. Your ancestors, back when they were super tiny and they couldn't talk and they were like… little fluffy things that lived out in the wild."

"You're being disrespectful towards my ancestors," said Changmin, glaring.

"I'm sorry. I meant… anyways. I meant to say. What did they do when they were like… chosen by the moon bunny…? Like, how did they even lift the pestle to make rice cakes with?"

"I don't know, but Yunho, I'm going crazy, I really need to make rice cakes, please, help me out."

"And like… what happens if you don't make rice cakes?" said Yunho, starting to find this amusing now. "Do you go to bunny hell? Or."

"I don't know. I don't know. I just know I have to make rice cakes."

"Okay. Just give me a second," said Yunho with a sigh.

It was obviously ridiculous, there was no way he could find a mortar as big as the one that the Moon Bunny had – but maybe this would be okay.

Yunho found a metal bowl and filled it with some of the rice he'd just had with his bulgogi, and also found himself a rolling pin. He carried the contraptions to the table, where Changmin was waiting impatiently.

"Here. Go nuts."

"This is not going to be enough to please the Moon Bunny," declared Changmin, clearly unhappy.

"Okay, how many owners do you think would find their bunnies a huge mortar and pestle to make rice cakes with? And how many wild bunnies can get a hold of those things, do you think? Moon Bunny needs to get over it. Times have changed. No one makes rice cakes at home anymore."

Changmin gave Yunho another displeased glare, but picked up the rolling pin and started crushing the rice in the bowl with it.

Once he got started, though, it didn't seem to matter whether or not it was a real mortar or pestle. Changmin just kept crushing the rice… and hours into it, he still didn't seem like he was going to stop.

"Are you coming to bed?" asked Yunho. "I think that's enough now."

"No," said Changmin. "I have to make rice cakes."

Yunho shifted his eyes.

"You have to do this all night…?" said Yunho curiously.

"Yes," said Changmin intently. "Until Moon Bunny tells me I can stop."

"I really hope you're not psychotic or manic right now," said Yunho ."I'm getting kind of scared."

"I've been called by the Moon Bunny. I am this year's Special Chuseok Bunny."

"Okay, Changmin. Okay. I'm going to bed, so you come when you're ready."

Right at midnight, though, the sound of the crushing stopped and a very tired Changmin bunny climbed into bed next to Yunho. Yunho pulled him into his eyes groggily.

"You're done making rice cakes?"

"It's not Chuseok anymore," replied Changmin sleepily. "I'm free from the Moon Bunny's magic."

Yunho stifled a laugh.

"Did you please the Moon Bunny?"

"Screw Moon Bunny," huffed Changmin. "That was ridiculous."

"So glad you're not psychotic."

"Me too," said Changmin, shaking his head. "I swear to God, if I ever get chosen again…"

"I may have to intervene next time," said Yunho, running his hand over Changmin's soft ears, and then his fluffy tail.

"I'm so tired," complained Changmin, burrowing into Yunho's chest. " _Screw Moon Bunny."_

And within moments, Changmin was asleep.


	6. You Are My Spring

Spring wasn't supposed to come so soon.

Changmin's oversized brown coat gets looks some looks on the streets, especially from the couples passing by. He hides himself further into the coat and quickens his steps.

It isn't long until he reaches Yunho's house. He knocks.

It only takes Yunho a few seconds to answer the door, but to Changmin, it feels much longer.

The wait to see Yunho's face is much too long.

Changmin is already too warm in his winter coat, but Yunho's very presence warms Changmin even more.

"You're still dressed like this?" says Yunho in a mild voice.

Almost as mild as the spring weather.

"Just… didn't know it would be this warm," mutters Changmin.

Yunho chuckles. "And the umbrella."

Changmin pulls his coat in tighter. "I like to be prepared."

"Always prepared for rainy weather," smiles Yunho. "That's so like you, Changmin."

Changmin lets out a grunt of disagreement, but Yunho wraps his arm around Changmin's shoulders.

"Okay. Let's go."

It's just a weekend walk, but it's so precious to Changmin that he doesn't think he can describe how it feels it in words.

With Yunho, Changmin notices more things.

He notices the tree branches starting to turn green, and he notices the delicate flowers.

He notices that the stream, once frozen, is flowing again, and he notices the chirping of songbirds.

The cherry blossoms are beginning to bloom.

The world is more colourful and more beautiful with Yunho.

Changmin presses himself a bit closer to Yunho.

"So pretty," muses Yunho.

 _Not as pretty as you_.

But "Yeah," is all Changmin manages to get out.

Changmin looks up at Yunho, who's smiling up at the clear skies.

And Changmin heart pounds.

_I love you._

Even just the very thought makes Changmin blush and his heart tickle.

Maybe one day, he'll be able to say it aloud.


End file.
